House Democrats: 'We must do better' than weak GOP shale bill

 

Pennsylvania House Democrats strongly opposed the weak Marcellus Shale natural gas tax supported by Gov. Tom Corbett and passed by the Republican-controlled House this week.

 

The Corbett-Republican bill, H.B. 1950, passed 107-76, largely along party lines. The bill now moves to the Senate.

 

House Democrats blasted the bill for its low, 1 percent tax rate on drillers in the Marcellus Shale, its lack of adequate environmental protections and its infringement on local governments' power to regulate drilling activities in their communities.

 

"This Corbett-Republican tax bill does not force these huge, out-of-state drilling companies to pay their fair share -- and it fails to address the many statewide impacts of drilling activity, including environmental threats," said Democratic Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny. "This bill is more than just a gift to the oil and gas industry -- It's a reckless abandonment of our responsibility to protect and defend the welfare of this commonwealth."

 

Read more here.

 

 

'Children First' -- protecting our kids

 

The allegations of sexual abuse of children on the Penn State campus and connected to a children's charity have brought to the forefront the very serious issue of child sexual abuse and the role of adults who witness or are told about abuse.

 

House Democrats are joining with Senate Democrats and House and Senate Republicans on a special commission to consider various legislative proposals to protect our children, and hold accountable those who do not.

 

House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody made the following statement regarding the formation of the commission to investigate the child sex-abuse charges against a former Penn State assistant football coach.

 

"This commission will only succeed if it is truly independent and impartial. In addition to the Judiciary Committee chairmen, it should include the chairs of the Children and Youth Committee. The non-legislative members must not be involved in conducting the current criminal investigation, nor should the commission include anyone who was part of that investigation at any earlier point. The commission needs the ability to subpoena witnesses so that it is empowered to find the truth."

 

See more here.

 

 

Pa. at a crossroads on education funding

 

Citing a new study released by the U.S. Department of Education showing Pennsylvania was among an elite group of states with significant student progress between 2003 and 2011, state Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, said the Commonwealth is at a crossroads in how to fund education.

 

The National Assessment of Educational Progress report, which was prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics, showed that Pennsylvania was one of only eight states in the nation where fourth- and eighth-graders made significant progress in both reading and math.

 

"It is no coincidence that there were two education events in the Capitol today aiming for two very different objectives," Sturla, chairman of the House Democratic Policy Committee, said in reference to a pro-voucher rally sponsored by the REACH Foundation and a Capitol news conference to release the results of the national study on Nov. 15. "On one side we have overwhelming proof that making a renewed investment in programs like early childhood education, afterschool tutoring and smaller class sizes generates positive outcomes in terms of student academic achievement; alternatively we have people who'd like to continue to underfund public education, send more taxpayer money to private and religious schools which are allowed to select only top students, and permit those schools to operate with little accountability."

 

Read more here.

 

 

House Democratic Policy Committee examines campaign finance reform

 

The House Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing Nov. 4 at City Hall in Philadelphia to look how the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Citizens United vs. FEC has impacted campaign financing in the Commonwealth, said Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster.

 

The hearing was requested and co-chaired by state Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., who is also the ranking Democrat on the House State Government Committee.

 

"Voter participation is at an all-time low because citizens feel their votes cannot compete with unlimited amounts of campaign contributions. Campaign Finance Reform is the answer," Josephs said.

 

Read more here.

 

 

SIGNED INTO LAW

 

Briggs: Governor signs Safety in Youth Sports Act into law

 

State Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, announced that the governor has signed into law legislation he authored that will improve concussion management in youth sports and increase awareness of the devastating, lifelong effects concussions can cause when improperly controlled.

 

Briggs said the Safety in Youth Sports Act (S.B. 200), which he co-introduced in the House and Senate with state Sen. Pat Browne, R-16, aims to ensure that student athletes who suffer concussions receive proper care and rest before they get back into the game.

 

"I made this important legislation one of my top priorities when I was elected to the legislature in 2008, and it has evolved into a strong bill that that does right by Pennsylvania's kids," Briggs said. "The Safety in Youth Sports Act will help protect the Commonwealth's richest resource: our children's minds."

 

Read more here.

 

 

PASSED THE HOUSE

 

House passes Costa's bill to further protect utility workers

 

State Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny, announced this week the House unanimously passed his bill that would expand protection to all electrical workers in cases of aggravated assault.

 

Costa's bill (H.B. 1140) would protect all public and municipal utility employees; cable television employees; employees of electrical generation or distribution companies; employees of telecommunications carriers; and, independent contractors and their employees working on behalf of any such utility or entity during performance of their duties.

 

The measure would expand aggravated assault protection to include the entire range of electrical workers who provide services to the residents of the Commonwealth.

 

"Under the current law, many workers find themselves in threatening situations and have been assaulted by irate customers, but the attackers are not charged with aggravated assault," Costa said.

 

Read more here.

 

 

BILL INTRODUCTIONS

 

Deasy to introduce bill to expand mandatory reporting of child sex abuse

 

State Rep. Dan Deasy, D-Allegheny, announced that he plans to introduce legislation expanding the requirements on the mandatory reporting of suspected sexual abuse of a child to law enforcement.

 

"I was saddened to learn about recent reports by the attorney general that there were individuals that had direct knowledge of alleged sexual crimes against children and did not report it to law enforcement," Deasy said.

 

Deasy's bill would require an individual who witnesses or is told by a direct witness about a sexual crime against a child to report it to law enforcement. Failure to report such violations could result in a third-degree felony charge, which carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.

 

Read more here.

 

 

Property tax exemption sought for spouses of those killed in action

 

Surviving spouses of Pennsylvania military personnel who were killed in action would be exempt from residential property taxes, under legislation (H.B. 1929) introduced by state Rep. Steven J. Santarsiero.

 

Section 2 of Article VIII of the Pennsylvania Constitution exempts from real property taxes on the primary residence those honorably discharged or released residents of the Commonwealth who, because of their military service, are blind, paraplegic, amputees or 100 percent disabled. Upon the veteran's death, the exemption is extended to their unmarried, surviving spouse.

 

"The surviving spouse of military personnel who were killed in action should receive the same benefit of a spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran. My legislation would address this inconsistency for those whose spouse has given the ultimate sacrifice -- their life," said Santarsiero, D-Bucks.

 

Read more here.

 

 

Rep. Kevin Boyle introduces legislation to require reporting abuse to proper authorities

 

State Rep. Kevin Boyle has introduced legislation (H.B. 1990) aimed at ensuring that people who witness the abuse of a child report it to law enforcement.

 

"Last week, I announced my intention to introduce legislation strengthening Pennsylvania's abuse reporting law in light of the alleged child sex abuse scandal at Pennsylvania State University," said Boyle, D-Phila. "Today, I have made good on that promise by introducing H.B. 1990, which would require those who are aware of abuse to report it to law enforcement."

 

Boyle's legislation would change current law so that staff members of institutions must immediately notify law enforcement. Current law only requires that the abuse be reported to the person in charge of the institution, school, facility or agency or the designated agent of the person in charge.

 

Read more here.

 

 

Sainato bill would help more seniors qualify for property tax, rent rebates

 

State Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence/Beaver, has introduced legislation (H.B. 2025) that would allow federal retirees who are ineligible for Social Security to exclude half of their Civil Service Retirement System pension when applying for the state's Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.

 

"The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program already allows people who receive Railroad Retirement Tier I or Social Security benefits to exclude half of that income in determining if they are eligible for the program," Sainato said. "But federal employees, who, because of the date of their employment, are ineligible for Social Security, were inadvertently excluded. My bill would fix that oversight."

 

Sainato said several constituents brought to the issue to his attention.

 

Read more here.